Oi, Vince
by Madea's Rage
Summary: FMS-verse. Greg goes to ask Vince what he thinks of Draco's offer and realizes some things never change.


**A/N: Love to my reviewers**

**This one shot is meant to accompany Chapter 32 of 'Favor me with Silence'. I feel like Goyle gets overlooked in fan fic, and I'm trying to rectify that. Sorry about the wonky formatting--my laptop's acting funny.**

**My especial thanks to Countess Black, as always.**

Greg pulled his jacket tighter about himself. It was a cold day, especially here on the moors. Why was Crabbe Hall so far from anything? He shook his head to clear it and turned from the

house, thedecrepit cupolas and crumbling turrets of the pile of stones and mortar his friend had called home, had loved. Greg swallowed and pressed forward, through the weeds and

gorse which was so plentiful, even in the chill of early spring.

Finally he saw it. The Crabbe family tomb loomed ahead, as faded and dull as everything Vince's family called their own. Not that Greg's family was any better; but it all struck him as

oddly sad todayof all days. Reaching into his pocket, Greg pulled out his offering. He knelt, head to the cold stone, and murmured a blessing, asking Vince to come and hear his words.

He didn't open it yet. It seemed wrong, somehow. This wasn't like visiting Grandmother Goyle at holidays or something. This was his best mate. Vince was the person who'd comforted

him best when his mother left. Greg clearly remembered that day.

"My Mam's gone. Da says she's a whore and we can't see her any more."

"Oh. What's a whore?"

"Dunno. Just that my Mam's one and so we can't see her."

Vince nodded gravely. "S'all right. My Mam's not, and we can share her."Then Greg had cried, and Vince had too. Greg wished Vince were here right now. He was smart, Vince, and good

at figuring things out.

Well, soonest begun, like Tiggy always said. "Oi, Vince." There was no answering 'Yeah, Greg' but that was all right. Greg took a deep breath and pressed on. "Turns out you were right.

Our Draco did have himself a bird. They're getting married. He's asked me to be his second at the wedding. Isn't that brilliant?"Vince thought it was. "It's Granger. Can you believe it?"

Vince couldn't. "No, it's true. All this time and it was the mudblood. Suppose I ought to hold it against him. Always going on about mudbloods and muggles, remember? And she was his

secret." Vince seemed to pause thoughtfully. Draco'd said he was trying to protect them, hadn't he? Didn't Greg believe him?

"I reckon I do, at that. Maybe it was better, just like you said. And she's…nice. Smiled at me and everything."

Vince understood. "And Draco…he really likes her. He looks at her like he's hungry and she's a pile of biscuits, or… something." Greg felt a sort of frustration at being so inarticulate. He

wished he could convey the way Draco's eyes lingered on her, the fierce protectiveness he had shown. Vince understood this as well. Did Greg think Draco was making a good choice?

"Well, she_ is_ a mudblood. But I think… she makes him happy. You know that pinched look he always had? It's gone when he's with her. He laughs, and she laughs too."

Then Vince thought it sounded as though it was all for the best. Greg nodded slowly. It was a new world, after all. Not the one they'd wanted, but good enough in it's own way.

"He's asked me to second him at the wedding. Isn't that brilliant? Tiggy and Galten are stand-ins for her parents, too. I can't believe Dad agreed."

Vince was surprised, too, but it seemed to him that maybe Draco needed a mate, now more than ever. And the mudblood, too. Probably her friends were pretty upset she was marrying

Malfoy and not that ponce Weasley or someone like that.

"Never thought of it that way. Guess you're right." Vince was curious about Greg had brought him. Greg grinned and slapped his forehead. "Blimey, I'm thick! Tiggy made you some fairy

cakes. The kind with the cream like you like." Vince was obliged. He was very happy in the afterlife, but it was nice to be thought of. And Tiggy really was an excellent cook. Greg nodded

and solemnly ate his fairy cake. He set the other on the tomb as an offering, murmuring a reverence.

"I'll go, then. But I'll be back, all right?" Vince agreed it was, but mentioned that he'd like it if Greg made an effort to check on his Mam. Ever since his Dad had died, she'd been

lonely, and now that he was…away, Mam needed company more than ever.

"Course I will. Bye, Vince."

'Bye, Greg.' This time he did hear it, and it made Greg smile.


End file.
